Luis Arraez just showed exactly how SF Giants should use him with clutch WBC hit

Ever since the SF Giants signed contact-hitting specialist Luis Arraez last month, there has been a debate about where he should bat in the lineup. An argument can be made that he would be most effective in several different slots in the order, but he may have proved on Monday night playing for Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic exactly where he belongs in the order.

Team Venezuela was down late in the game to Team Italy but the team rallied in the seventh inning to score three runs and take a 4-2 lead which stuck. Arraez got the team its final insurance run. Batting in the No. 3 spot of the order, Arraez got the count to 3-2 with 2 outs and runners on 1st and 3rd base. He lined a high fastball into center field to score the run from third and give his team a bit of a cushion.

Arraez may be showing the Giants that he is best utilized in a spot in the order where he can drive in runs.

SF Giants would be wise to put Luis Arraez in RBI spots

There has been some debate over whether Arraez should be the leadoff hitter for the Giants. This makes sense on paper since he makes contact so much which makes him a tough, pesky batter for opposing pitchers to face at the start of the game.

While he gets a lot of hits, hardly ever strikes out, and his batting average is always very high, he does not draw a ton of walks and is not especially quick. Those are not necessarily prerequisites to be a leadoff hitter as Kyle Schwarber has proven with the Philadelphia Phillies. But Arraez, even though he has hit some impressive homers in the WBC, does not possess much power.

He thrives at putting the ball in play which lends itself to at-bats with runners in scoring position. That's why the Giants should strongly consider batting Arraez in the No.3-5 spots in the order where he figures to have a good amount of RBI opportunities.

So many times over the last few seasons it has felt like the Giants will get runners on base only to strike out multiple times and kill their rally before it could ever begin. That's why adding Arraez was such a necessary move so the team has a contact bat capable of putting the ball in play in those clutch situations.

The Giants will probably toy with Arraez's spot in the lineup throughout the season to see where he fits best, but that one clutch hit in the WBC semi-final should show the Giants that a middle-of-the-order role could be perfect for their new second baseman.